The region
De Wijers candidate UNESCO Man and the Biosphere
De Wijers is a unique waterscape in the heart of Limburg, where people and the landscape have been inseparably connected for centuries.
Even today, De Wijers depends on the commitment and collaboration of a wide range of local partners. Here, people and nature continue to shape the landscape together.
For this reason, De Wijers is a candidate for designation as a UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Reserve: an international recognition for areas where people and nature work together to build a sustainable future.
Through this ambition, the partners of De Wijers aim to:
• strengthen nature and biodiversity;
• make the water system more resilient to climate change;
• preserve and bring the region's heritage and landscape to life;
• create space for sustainable living, working, entrepreneurship and recreation.
The nomination builds on more than twenty years of collaboration and positions De Wijers as a living showcase of how knowledge, engagement and care for the landscape can contribute to a sustainable future.